El Ficus benjamina It is an evergreen tree that, as its name suggests, is small. But the truth is that it can mislead us, since it is still a Ficus, and these plants are characterized by being very large and, therefore, by needing a lot of space to grow.
So, keeping this in mind, Is it possible to have a Ficus benjamina in the garden?
In this image you can see how much it can grow if it has everything it needs: space, light and water. It reaches a height of 15 meters, with a crown that can be 6, 7 and 8m. To all this must be added that it has a root system typical of Ficus, that is, invasive. This means that if there are pipes nearby, it can break them. So that this does not happen, it is convenient to plant it at a minimum distance of 10m from any water source.
Another issue that we cannot forget is the weather. Our protagonist does not support strong frosts, only up to -3ºC and if they are of short duration. So, if we live in an area where winter is colder, we will have no choice but to have it inside the home, in a room where it receives a lot of natural light.
But the reality is that this tree supports pruning reasonably well, which should be done in spring, after the risk of frost has passed. So much so that you can have it in a pot, and of course, if you can have it in a container, you can have it in the garden. The question is, where?
El Ficus benjamina It needs a lot of light to grow, but it can adapt to an area where it is not in direct sunlight. Of course, it is important that it be watered frequently, especially during the summer, preventing the soil from drying out too much. The frequency will be every 2 days in summer, and every 5 the rest of the year. There are those who have it on the lawn, as you can see in the image above, so that their water needs are always covered.
Do you plan to have one in the garden?